The award-winning Orkney Folk Festival is returning for a 41st outing, and organisers have launched a new pass allowing people to view the event from the comfort of their own home.
With 52 events across multiple venues, the Orkney Folk Festival welcomes performers from across the UK as well as from the US, Canada, Norway, Sweden and Ireland.
The festival is teaming up with EventScotland to deliver a digital pass for people unable to attend in person.
After the 40th anniversary event in 2023, the folk festival smashed all previous sale records in triumphant style with more than 8,500 tickets sold for the four-day event.
The success was recognised when Orkney Folk Festival won Event of the Year at the MG Alba Scots Traditional Music Awards in December 2023.
This year, they’re aiming to do the same, and after the popularity of streamed events post pandemic, the digital pass will return for a third year.
Here’s everything you need to know about Orkney Folk Festival 2024.
When is the festival?
The 41st Orkney Folk Festival takes place between 23 and 26 May 2024, offering concerts, ceilidhs, clubs, sessions, workshops and more.
While the festival’s base is in Stromness, audiences will also have the chance to experience Orkney hospitality at events in Birsay, Finstown, Harray, Kirkwall, Orphir, Sanday, Sandwick, Holm and Stenness.
What is the digital pass and what does it include?
The digital pass will allow people to stream three events from this year’s programme for no cost.
Music lovers can watch one evening event per day online between Friday 24 and Sunday 26 May.
The events available to view through the pass will remain a surprise until the beginning of the live stream each evening. Virtual audience members will be able to watch one of the concerts beginning at 7.30 pm on both Friday 24 and Saturday 25 May, then one of the three farewell concerts which start at 6.30 pm on Sunday 26 May.
Each video stream will remain online for 24 hours, allowing time to catch up for those who are unable to watch the events as they happen.
Orkney Folk Festival Producer, Craig Corse said: “We’re delighted to once again be offering a digital pass to this year’s Orkney Folk Festival - completely free of charge.
“Like many, we were led towards streaming to stay connected during the pandemic, yet retaining a digital offering makes the event a much more accessible and inclusive one for audiences around the world.
“We appreciate that, with the best will in the world, folks that live far away from Orkney might not be able to attend every year. For those new to the festival, a taster might be needed before crossing oceans to be with us in person for the first time – and we very much hope that watching in real time will whet the appetite to make the journey.
“Much closer to home, there’s any number of reasons why sitting in a concert for a couple of hours just isn’t possible, no matter how accessible a venue may be, and so we’re genuinely delighted to once again extend a warm festival welcome to everyone.”
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What’s the line-up?
Festival organisers have highlighted some of the main acts in their line-up including The East Pointers, and long-time musical collaborators Michael McGoldrick and John McCusker will be joined by Orcadian Kris Drever, combining the talents of three heavyweights in the UK folk scene.
The festival will also include legendary Irish musicians, Máirtín O’Connor, Cathal Hayden, and Seamie O’Dowd.
But there are too many acts to name, so the festival organisers have compiled a programme full of the acts, times, and workshops happening over the full weekend.
But for a quick glance, check out the line-up below.
How do I get tickets?
The free digital pass is available for people to pre-book on the Orkney Folk Festival website: https://tickets.orkneyfolkfestival.com/digitalpass. Once booked, virtual audience members will receive a confirmation email that contains a link to view the live stream each evening.
Each evening between Friday 24 and Sunday 26 May 2024, virtual attendees can use the link to log in and view that day’s live-streamed event. The recording will be available for 24 hours, providing time for people to catch up if they’re unable to watch it live.
There are also still more than 2,400 in-person tickets available for events happening across Orkney between 23 and 26 May 2024. Live availability can be found online at https://orkneyfolkfestival.com/tickets.
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